Letters to the editor

Springstead High School Air Force ROTC had its award ceremonies April 2, acknowledging the dedication and commitments of its marvelous cadet corps in leadership, service and excellence with integrity and camaraderie in unity of purpose. These young people accept military rigors beyond the standard scholastic and extra-curricular pride most students have for their school.

More than a dozen veteran representatives were on stage to present their awards as well as offer certificates and scholarship money to many exceptional ROTC standouts.

What is needed desperately, we learn from parents and ranking Air Force leaders guiding Springstead's ROTC, is an infusion of funds to maintain critical curricula outlined for these high school students now that the Department of Defense funds have cut millions from non-essential programs including ROTCs.

Every charitable group, organization, company, industry, church and the scores of ladies groups, individuals, gated communities and professionals, along with veteran posts and detachments, need to prioritize donations to Springstead ROTC with haste and in good conscience. These are the youth in our midst willing to stand in defense of our values, wearing the uniform and preparing to serve when needed. These are the youth who have gone beyond the bounds of their commitment to scholastic excellence.

Let's all pitch in and help with donations dedicated to their growth and commitment to military programs that build individual respect and pride instilled in these young people as a lifestyle pattern we all admire.

Deron Mikal

Brooksville

Charges out of character

A couple of weeks ago I watched the news and was grief stricken at seeing my good friend, Cynthia Haring, on the screen and being accused of child abuse.

The harsh words attached to her accusation are absolutely out of character for a person that has dedicated her life, talent and financial resources to work with children of all walks of life and nationalities. She is a person who is loved by the children she works with and the grown-ups she is associated with.

I met Cynthia 15 years ago. We coincided at the schools she served as a teacher and where I worked as a substitute teacher.

Cynthia can be found photographing, choreographing or performing with the many kids with whom she has recorded CDs, as well as rolling-up her sleeves actually filling the country roadsides with banners and posters promoting our fund-raising events for education.

We are very proud and look at Cynthia with admiration for her achievements of which she never boasts.

This caring, talented, giving human being does not deserve the horrific pain and image damaging that this misunderstanding has caused her. True to form, she is facing these new difficult times with incredible serenity, humility and forgiveness. "All of this," she told me, "is a sad mistake." Those of us who know her as a professional, as a mentor and as a friend are supporting her with love and with prayers.

I pray that those in whose hands Cynthia's professional future rests will recognize the unjust agony inflicted upon her and that they will promptly reinstate her to the classroom where she belongs. I also pray that God will help them see clearly what is right and make their decision based on that right.

It is in Cynthia's character to pick up where she left off without looking back, but only time will help make the scars fade away. I also pray that all who have played a role in this unfortunate situation will learn a valuable lesson. How quickly and easily a life can be ruined.

Gladys del S. Pedersen

Spring Hill

Egypt goes to Russia

Congress has been indifferent and has not been supportive of the new takeover government of Egypt. I would like to suggest that Congress review this situation in light of recent events.

(President) Obama and Hilary Clinton have turned away from supporting the new takeover government, which is not radical and indirectly supporting the former government of the radical Muslim Morsi and his Muslim brotherhood - one more stupid decision.

Obama and Clinton want to be blind to the fact that Morsi and his radical Muslim government really hate America and are willing to do whatever it takes to destroy us, in addition that Morsi and his Muslim brotherhood are aligned with Al-Qaeda, as has been exposed.

Now Russia, via Putin, is moving into the vacuum that we have created by abandoning Egypt. Putin is selling Egypt two million in military arms and entering into many new secret agreements with Egypt and moving under the influence of Russia.

The policies of Obama and Clinton have been to turn away from our friends and to pacify our enemies.

Congress must do whatever it takes to stop this harmful policy.

Norman Pallot

Weeki Wachee

We'll overturn president's executive orders

Here we go again POTUS 44 makes yet another illegal and unconstitutional change to his "signature" legislation by reversing the cuts to Medicare. Just when will he be impeached for his flagrant disregard for honoring his oath of office? Close to 40 times he has waved his "scepter"as the monarch he wants to be to change a duly passed and signed law. The constitution does not allow - nor has it ever allowed - the executive branch to enact laws. The division of powers, as laid down by our founding fathers in our Constitution, was specifically put into that document to prevent a dictatorial chief executive from doing just that.

Now to all the fawning acolytes of this abomination of a president we all know what is really going to occur after the mid-term elections this November. All the executive orders will be reversed and then watch out. Medicare will go through the roof, the employer mandate will throw millions of Americans off their health care plans, and the individual mandate will make the line waiting to be served on that abysmal website an excruciating adventure into cyber hell.

So my friends, remember this louse of a POTUS' attempts to circumvent the constitution when you try to decide who best will represent your best interests at the voting booth this fall.

God bless America and damn the dem-marxists.

George Stansbury

Brooksville

Read the bills first

The lady said, "We have to pass the bill in order to know what's in it."

While she may have been correct because Washingtonians seem to have trouble understanding English, it is quite apparent that our own county commission has fallen prey to such nonsense, also.

We implement "impact fees" - when times are good and they become a "cash cow" - against the special interest group of developers, and then we remove the tax to protect those same developers. For the few who demand it, we implement a rule allowing no more than 4.99 chickens per household.

Now comes the question of fire service fees, and it seems that nobody read this tax law, either. While it may have salved some wounds when adopted, we now have a special interest group - the apartment owners - requesting abatement from the stress of their humongous jump in taxes.

My thought: We have to read the bill before even holding the first public hearing. We pay good money to our employees to get these things right the first time out - without make-work projects to keep fixing their mistakes.

Hamilton R. Hanson

No party affiliation candidate for state representative in District 35